Do I need anti virus software?

[fuzzweed]

If my PCs are behind a NAT router, and I only view trusted websites, only use web based email and don't follow spam links or download unknown attachments, and don't use portable storage that's been anywhere other than my camera, do I really need AV software????

[martint123]

I suppose the answer is yes.
There are far too many legitimate web sites that get nasties installed and if you don't watch out you can catch something unpleasant.
I've had a number of warnings from firefox so didn't need the AV stuff although t's gone off a few times for me.

[HtV]

To be honest, the only times I got a virus-alarm (nod32) I was really begging for it.:eek: I think you would be quite safe without AV in your situation, otoh a good av doesn't take that much resources.

Hans

[Pob]

If my PCs are behind a NAT router, and I only view trusted websites, only use web based email and don't follow spam links or download unknown attachments, and don't use portable storage that's been anywhere other than my camera, do I really need AV software????

Defintely not, especially if behind a NAT router.
I have been using PC's for more years than I care to remember, and I have never installed AV software, and never had a virus. How do I know? I use the free online scanners such as the Symantec one:
http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/defau...&venid=sym
And I do download a LOT of stuff - but like you, only from places I know and trust. I read all the comments and reviews too.
I think virus scanners are the biggest con on the public since snake oil. The real problems that never seem to get as much attention in the media is adware, some of which can be malicious and cause as many issues as any virus, port scanning (so I do always use a firewall), and let us not forget kernal rootkits installed on your PC by supposed reputable companies - i.e. Sony BMG / Starforce. If you are carefull, as we both are, there really should not be a problem. The decision is, do you want some bloated, resource hungry application running all the time just for the tiny chance you may get a virus?
If I think a family member should have AV software, I always use the free AVG, as it seems less resource hungry than the Norton Symantec ones.
I know AV software has a place - a PC used by many different people, or used by kids who click on any old thing for example...

[elite]

I vote no unless you were using outlook or similar email client - with webmail there shouldn't be the same issues...

I do install (free) av on all my machines, just because I'm not the only user and once installed and daily scan is turned off it tends to be well behaved and not resource intensive

[InVermont]

If your running as a standard user, I'll vote no. I've never seen malware that didn't need Admin privileges.
If your running as Admin, I gotta go with yes. There are simply too many bugs in browsers that can be taken advantage of. I know IE is the poster child for this, but as FF grows in popularity, folks will start hammering at that.
And with the resent DNS poisoning fiasco, it is becoming impossible to tell exactly where you are going, until you are there, which may be too late.

[reboot]

I work for a large online technical support company. I spend 7 of 8 hours a day, removing viruses, trojans, and various malware from customer's computers.
Sure, many of them are not as savvy as we think we are, but a decent (even free) AV, doesn't take up huge resources, doesn't slow down the computer, and doesn't interfere with your everyday surfing/email/etc., so why not?
Get one, install it, update and forget it.
I can guarantee, there will always be ONE TIME, sooner or later, that you'll get infected with something. Hopefully it will be minor, and you'll be able to remove it, but if not, you'll Nuke and Pave, because it's the only way you can get Windows to work again.
To all the naysayers, I wish you luck, and it's people like you that pay my exorbitant salary

[whurlston]

To all the naysayers, I wish you luck, and it's people like you that pay my exorbitant salary

I charge > $100 an hour for cleaning viruses and 99.9% could be prevented. AV is not needed on an HTPC if you are doing what fuzzweed is doing:

Hardware Router.
Only extremely trusted sites. I recommend setting your browser's internet zone to maximum security.
Webmail instead of an email client.
Oh and get rid of your torrent clients.

That "one time" you get a virus can happen even WITH antivirus software. In fact, some AV software is harder to clean than any virus when it's installation gets corrupted (I refuse to use Norton anymore).

[mvallevand]

As a long time linux user I found the UAE security model in Vista is now much better and this has made me far less worried about viruses on Windows machines. Unfortunately too many people are too lazy to work with UAE and have turned it off.

For protection I think you absolutely need an up-to-date anti-virus scan on new files even from "trusted" source but not on-the-fly scanning.

Martin

[Deusxmachina]

With good (maybe not the best) virus software being free and self-updating, I don't know why someone wouldn't use it. Just grab AVG for free, set it to scan and update every day at like 4am, and you'll never have to touch it again unless it finds something.